Leanne walked with Barney up to Hora’s office, nervous about what they could possibly be asking her.

She didn’t know what to tell them about Zinc. No matter what she did, he didn’t seem to be improving. Though, when she was there, he seemed to do better. She had to admit she’d really enjoyed lying next to him, listening to his heartbeat and hearing him talk about his life.

What little she knew about it anyway.

But she was growing more and more hopeless about the whole situation and hoped with some tiny part of her that Hora might have some information that could help.

Hora was sitting behind the desk as they entered the office, and she looked up with a harried expression before dismissing Barney with a wave.

“Leanne, we won’t be needing you any longer,” Hora said, typing something on her laptop before closing it.

“What?” It felt as if her stomach were a bottomless well with a stone dropped in it, and she tried not to show her panic on her face. “Why?”

“I mean, we need you for one last thing, and then you won’t be needed to care for Zinc anymore.” Hora leaned back, long fingers tented, blood-red eyes narrowed purposefully. “I’m here to offer you a few options in exchange for your help.”

“Anything that helps Zinc, I’m willing to do it.”

Hora let out a bitter laugh. “That’s funny.” She straightened. “Oh, you were serious. No, this isn’t about helping Zinc. Though, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? We wouldn’t have to reward you for that. Being a dragon heart who loves to help people, you probably would do it anyway.” Hora raised an eyebrow. “Are you falling for him, human?”

Leanne just pressed her lips together. She wasn’t going to say anything, but she was sure the answer could be read on her face.

Hora let out a laugh and leaned back with one hand over her stomach. “Oh, that’s rich. Well, it makes sense. He is beautiful, with the wealth and power of a king.”

Leanne didn’t know about any of that. She just knew that he was a good person. Someone who had people that cared about him. Someone who cared about her as well.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. What I’m asking of you is a bit more… complicated.”

“Complicated?” Leanne scrunched up her nose, wondering what on earth Hora could be asking of her.

“I’m going to be his mate. It’s the only thing that can save his life, and I can’t wait any longer. I was hoping he’d beg, but it appears he’d rather die first.”

“He said as much,” Leanne muttered. When Hora flashed her a look of pure hatred, she wished she hadn’t said anything.

“Nevertheless, he has no choice. I won’t let him die, and if he’s not cooperative, then I need to take him.”

“Take him? By that you mean rape him?”

“Not exactly. Just make him… complacent. I’m sure once his brain is in the right place, he’ll thank me and be willing to do whatever I want in exchange for saving him.”

“Is that the whole reason you captured him?”

“Essentially.” Hora rested her thin chin on her hand. “Do you know who he is? Has he told you?”

“He hasn’t been well enough,” Leanne said truthfully. Not that it mattered. When she had a good feeling about someone, nothing could really change her opinion.

“Good,” Hora said, looking relieved. “Because you don’t need to know anything about him.” She snapped her fingers, and the door opened and Barney poked his head in.

“Yes?”

“Get the pills,” Hora said.

Leanne felt a little like she was sinking in water that was rising over her head as Barney came forward with a small bag and handed it to Hora.

“Great. You may go.” She waved him away, and he left once again.

“What are those, Roofies?” Leanne asked sourly.

Hora narrowed her eyes. “What?”

“Nothing. A human thing.”

“These are something special… to help things along. Knock him out a bit, as it were. I want you to give them to him.”

Leanne put up both hands. “No way. No how. I’m not going to help you drug and rape somebody. You’ll have to kill me first.”

“That can be arranged. But know that we’re going to manage one way or another, even if we have to force them down his throat. This is a way for you to make it easier on everyone.”

“Easier?”

“I mean, I think we could force them down his throat, but I do think I might lose a few wolves in the process.”

Though, Hora didn’t appear too concerned about it.

“If it’s just going in his food, why can’t you hide it?”

“If we tampered with his food, he’d smell it. Shifter.” She pointed to her nose. “But if you put it in, your own human scent should overwhelm anything else happening.”

“Hm.”

“Besides, if you do it, we’ll make sure you have a better ending as well. Send you somewhere you can be useful, maybe find a mate within our world, rather than kill you.”

Leanne inhaled through her nose and held it for a bit before exhaling slightly. The rage she felt at anyone wanting to hurt her new friend was unbearable, but at the same time, it appeared she was helpless to make it stop.

“I want your word,” Leanne said quickly, “that no harm will come to me if I do as you say.”

Hora nodded. “Of course.”

Leanne put out her hand. “Fine. Give them to me.”

Hora gave her the bag. “Put these in his dinner. Make sure he eats them. I’ll be down for him tomorrow morning. He should still be out.”

Leanne took the bag, looking at the small pink pills inside. “And they won’t hurt him?”

“Of course not,” Hora said. “I want him pliable, not dead. Hell, me mating him will save him.”

“How?”

“I might as well tell you at this point. He can only be saved by taking a mate. On his planet, those with pure blood must mate to stop the progression of their elemental poison. In his case, zinc.”

None of that really made sense. But Leanne definitely took note of the fact that mating had something to do with saving him.

“Once I mate him, I’ll be able to save his life. So really, by drugging him, you’ll be saving both of you.”

Leanne looked at the pills, mind working rapidly on a solution while trying to keep anything but a blank, compliant expression on her face.

She sighed, as if in resignation. “Well, if it’s my only choice to save him.”

“It is.” Hora glared at her, frowning. “Don’t cross me, human. I’ll kill you before you can put one foot out of line, and Zinc will die either way. Don’t even think of trying to make some kind of escape.”

“I won’t,” Leanne said honestly. She was starting to formulate a plan, but escape had nothing to do with it. “I’ll put it in his dinner. I hate doing it, but I don’t want to die, and more than that, I don’t want to kill him.”

“I believe you,” Hora said, looking content as she rested back in her chair again. “Good people are so simple to manipulate. I will have Barney down there and see you in the morning.”

“Okay. See you then.” Leanne gave Hora a small bow and what she hoped looked like a grateful, relieved smile. “And thank you for giving me a chance, my lady.”

Hora looked taken aback but pleased by Leanne’s obeisance and puffed up a bit in response. “Well. It’s not so much. Now get out of here. You smell like human.”

Leanne hid her grin as Barney came back in to haul her back downstairs. She shoved the bag of pills in her pocket, quickly running through her different options of carrying out her plan later that night.

She would save him; that was certain.

She just needed to ask him a few questions first.

* * *

Zinc could sense Leanne was in an odd mood ever since she’d come back from talking with Hora.

Barney had been personally guarding the basement ever since the meeting, so they hadn’t been able to talk, but Zinc was looking forward to her being let out of her cell for dinner in a few moments.

Hopefully, Barney would go on break for a bit, like he usually did during dinner, and give them a chance to talk.

The dizziness had been coming in waves, like a fever that came and went, often after eating.

He was trying to save his strength for the few minutes he would spend with her.

He was surprised when Barney checked his watch a little early and then started down the hall, jangling his keys as he got them out to unlock Leanne’s cell.

She exited, and he heard words exchanged between the pair before she muttered something and angrily jerked away.

Another wolf brought down food trays, putting one by each cell before going upstairs quietly, as if hoping not to be noticed.

Leanne walked down the hall and waited impatiently for Barney to open the cell, then stared at him as if expecting him to leave.

“I have to do this on my own,” she said to Barney, who shrugged and locked the door to the cell.

After a moment of angry glaring, he finally threw his hands in the air and left, shutting the basement door behind him.

“Wow, you have leverage on him or something?” Zinc croaked out, his voice oddly scratchy.

“Or something,” she said, looking more nervous than usual. “Here, you need to eat.” She walked to his tray and bent over it for a moment. “Just checking if it’s too hot.”

He couldn’t see she what she was doing, but she appeared to be opening some sort of bag or stirring something for him.

Regardless, he was touched by her care and trusted her implicitly.

“They wrapped the rolls today,” she said, finally handing him the tray. “I thought I’d open them for you.”

“Thanks,” he said, looking down at the spread. Soup and rolls today. He hated the food here, but at least the company was better.

“Listen. Hora, she wanted to talk to me about mating.”

Zinc’s heart skipped a beat as he put down his spoon and looked up at Leanne, who put her hands in her lap quietly.

“She said being mated would save you. What does that mean? What does it entail?”

Zinc’s heart rate increase, and he felt slightly weaker as a result. “It’s not something you have to worry about, Leanne. I would never ask it of you.”

“No, I mean, Hora wants you to mate her to save your life.”

Zinc snorted. “I already said I’d rather die.”

“I don’t want you to die, though.”

Zinc shook his head. “Mating is very serious. I could not possibly do it with her. Even to save my life.”

“Stubborn,” she said quietly. “What does it entail?”

He nearly choked on the soup he’d been eating. “What?”

“What does she mean by mating?”

“No idea,” Zinc said, pained by the untruthfulness of his answer. But truly, it was an ugly subject, and he didn’t want Leanne, angel that she was, caught up in it. “Listen, don’t worry about it.” He set aside his soup and grabbed his roll, lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. “I’m not feeling too well today. Talk to me?”

She scooted her chair closer with a little sigh. “What do you want me to talk about?”

“Tell me what you did as a dragon heart.”

She laughed, putting a hand to his head and frowning. “You’re clammy.”

“It’s been a rough day. Better now that you’re here.”

“Zinc, I just want to save you…”

“So talk to me. Tell me what you did.”

She sighed. “All right. But you eat your soup.”

He begrudgingly picked up the bowl as she began her story. A totally endearing tale of her going into a burning building to rescue her boss’ many dogs. Though Leanne was self-deprecating about the stupidity of her decision, Zinc could tell she truly had a love for animals, for all life.

There was still joy radiating in her face when she spoke of her actions, of her success in saving all of them, and he knew, despite the result, she didn’t regret what she’d done.

He’d finished his soup and felt sweat drip down one side of his forehead from exertion as his hand that was holding the bowl slipped off the cot.

The bowl clattered to the ground, breaking.

Leanne jumped, grabbing his hand and coming closer. She grabbed a rag and dabbed his forehead. “No. Zinc. Please. Hang in there.”

“I’m fine,” he said, though he felt like he was hallucinating. Now and then, the dizziness felt like light streaming in from all corners. Almost… peaceful.

Was this what it felt like to be close to dying?

“No, I’m not going to let this happen…”

Someone was talking. He wasn’t really sure who. He could see the purple oceans and beautiful mountains of Drakkaris. Nearly smell the fragrant, warm air.

Then he felt someone grab him on either side of his head, jerking him up to face her.

An angel. Leanne? He felt he knew her. Swirls of poison on the outside of his vision nearly obscured the borders of her face. But he could still make out dark curls, dark eyes, full lips.

Beautiful.

The dragon inside him awakened, staring up at her with pure want.

He didn’t know who this woman was, but he’d give her anything.

He was surprised when he felt lips close over his. Was he dreaming? Then the angel with the dark hair pulled back again, and her eyes were glaring.

“Tell me how mating works.”

“We have sex, and I give my ring,” he said, holding out his hand, the small metal band he always wore there. He felt he was telling some kind of secret that he wasn’t supposed to, but what did it matter now? All his inhibitions seemed to be flying with the light that was streaming all around him.

He closed his eyes as he was enclosed in warm softness and felt in control for a second. Felt the pain in him receding. Felt tiredness begin to take over.

“Zinc, one last question,” someone said through the encroaching darkness.

“Yes?”

“Can a mating be reversed?”

He didn’t really understand the question, but he thought he knew the answer.

“I’m the king,” he said weakly, feeling consciousness abandon him. “I can do anything.”

And then he lapsed into sleep, and the angel was gone.